Jobseeker's Allowance cut in half ??

GothicGhost · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:40

Hay all.

I lost my job about month ago and so i went on JSA everything was ok until i did 1 day's work with a agency for just 7 hours.

I went in to sign on as you do every 2 weeks and declared i worked that 1 day for the 7 hour and filled in a form.

Then to day when i was meant to get 2 weeks money from JSA i got a letter saying they only paying me half as change in earnings ??

I thought u could work so many hours 16 i think? a week before they mess with your claim.

This mess me right up now got baby on the way as well and not sure where i stand on this.

Thanks for any help peeps

aproctor · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:41

GothicGhost said:
I thought u could work so many hours 16 i think? a week before they mess with your claim.

They reduce the amount of JSA you get on a sliding scale, like HB/CTB.

If you go into the job centre and query how it works i see no reason they wouldn't be able to explain the method behind this.

SiriusB · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:41

Speak to someone at the job centre? Maybe they messed up the paper work.

Amnesia · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:48

no they would deduct what ever you make from your jsa and let you keep i think 5 pounds of it....unless you go past the 16 hours.

GothicGhost · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:48

I am hoping its was a mistake and they think i getting extra money every week but it was only the 1 day

I will pop in there tomorrow first thing see what they say i just wish i checked my bank sooner then i did so i could called them today

Thanks

knip · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:49

They really are gits because they say you are allowed to work 16 hours BUT you are also only allowed to earn another fiver (JSA is 64.30 - when I was on it, am over 25) and they say you can live on £69.30, so anything over that means they will stop your benefit until you are back under the threshold (as in however much you earnt a week spread out over a rate of £69.30 a week until you have "paid it back" in effect)

I was claiming JSA, and thought I would be ok because I was only working 15 hours a week, but had the same thing happen to me, its ridiculous, you think they would be happy people are earning, but sadly the system isnt set up that way.

Dont get me started on a JSA rant, I would be here a very long time, am very grateful I now have a job, if only so I no longer have to deal with the crap that JSA and the job centre causes.

Van Hellseek · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:50

I thought this was going to be a thread about "People get too much JSA, it should be cut in half!".

And I was going to agree.

aproctor · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:52

seek said:
I thought this was going to be a thread about "People get too much JSA, it should be cut in half!".

And I was going to agree.

JSA is nothing, you would weep at what is paid out in terms of Housing benefit.

Van Hellseek · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:55

aproctor said:
JSA is nothing, you would weep at what is paid out in terms of Housing benefit.

No, I'm well aware of what it is. Around the £60 per week mark.

Fine for people in between jobs.

Disgusting for those who live with their parents and claim it long-term (6 months +), and spend it on DVD's, Games and beer/smokes.

dowie · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:56

knip said:
They really are gits because they say you are allowed to work 16 hours BUT you are also only allowed to earn another fiver (JSA is 64.30 - when I was on it, am over 25) and they say you can live on £69.30, so anything over that means they will stop your benefit until you are back under the threshold (as in however much you earnt a week spread out over a rate of £69.30 a week until you have "paid it back" in effect)

I was claiming JSA, and thought I would be ok because I was only working 15 hours a week, but had the same thing happen to me, its ridiculous, you think they would be happy people are earning, but sadly the system isnt set up that way.

Dont get me started on a JSA rant, I would be here a very long time, am very grateful I now have a job, if only so I no longer have to deal with the crap that JSA and the job centre causes.

I don't see why we should be giving free money away to people who are working tbh... they're not being gits they're just doing their job - if you're not entitled to a benefit then its as simple as that... tbh.. I don't see why anyone living in a large city or town should be on JSA for any great length of time unless they're simply lazy.

[TW]Fox · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:58

This is exactly right - basically means if you work 14 hours your JSA ends up at... zero.

Seems a bit pointless having the whole guideline as to how much you can work thing really.

Clairvoyant · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:04

its a joke, you get all these people that have not worked for years and dont plan to. And they get the money thrown at them. And the ones that do jobs for cash.

Then you get the honest people that are the ones they screw over.

I was self employed and had to sell the B&B for a huge loss. The wife works part time 20 hours. All I get is my Stamp paid, and I have to jump through hoops for what £3 a week.

Now this is a silly one.

A friend was claiming JSA (living with folks at the time). He then got a job and was working for about 6 - 12 months. Just a few weeks ago he lost his job. And the job centre said you will not be getting any JSA. As his GF works full time (they now live together). Saying he has not paid enough stamp the year before (when he was unemployed). lol

The system stinks.

The honest people get screwed and the scamers know how to scam the system.

Kol · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:04

seek said:
No, I'm well aware of what it is. Around the £60 per week mark.

Fine for people in between jobs.

Disgusting for those who live with their parents and claim it long-term (6 months +), and spend it on DVD's, Games and beer/smokes.

You have to be kidding? People can claim housing benefit whilst still living with their parents? So long as they're out of work, naturally. So there is nothing stopping someone just bumming around at home, claiming JSA and Housing Benefit?

GothicGhost · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:09

So let get this right.

I made 36 pounds net pay for 7 hours (yeah crap money)

JSA only paid me 64 pounds to last me for 2 weeks

So as far as i see there no point doing the odd days work cause u just get bent over the table for it lol

knip · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:10

dowie said:
I don't see why we should be giving free money away to people who are working tbh... they're not being gits they're just doing their job - if you're not entitled to a benefit then its as simple as that... tbh.. I don't see why anyone living in a large city or town should be on JSA for any great length of time unless they're simply lazy.

In the two months I was out of work I still had debts and bills to pay, 4 weeks worth of JSA didnt even cover my loan (couldnt afford the protection being on a low wage when I was in employment) so I needed it to fall back on because I wasn't earning money doing temporary work on a regular basis, it only came in dribs and drabs.

I had worked for 11 years straight and paid tax and NI, so had contributed plenty to the society I then needed to fall back on whilst I was looking for a new job.

Believe me it wasnt in a position I wanted to be in, but I had financial commitments that weren't going to just go away, and so I had no choice.

Van Hellseek · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:14

Kol said:
You have to be kidding? People can claim housing benefit whilst still living with their parents? So long as they're out of work, naturally. So there is nothing stopping someone just bumming around at home, claiming JSA and Housing Benefit?

Of course not.

I have a 'friend' who lives with his mother and claims both. I think it's utterly disgusting that he gets away with it.

He seems to have no intention of getting a job, yet he gets free board/food/bills etc and yet the government are happy to pay him benefits on top of that.

The worst part is he spends all his money on games/DVD's and then comes to the pub and pleads poverty in the hope of getting others to buy him drinks.

And I suspect this isn't just him, but a growing culture amongst people in their early twenties for doing this kind of thing.

aproctor · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:14

seek said:
No, I'm well aware of what it is. Around the £60 per week mark.

Fine for people in between jobs.

Really, In denial land it may be about right

but everywhere else it's the starting point.

Look up the LHA rate for a couple in most parts of London.

And too many people are on it 20+ years.

thevet · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:22

pretend your an immigrant and you will get more money,a house,a car and a mobile phone all for completely free!...On the other hand you could say what you have already said but they will most probably give you nothing that an immigrant gets and half your income that your entitled too..

Amnesia · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:25

why would an immigrant get more money, a car and a mobile phone ?

Sinque · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:28

thevet said:
pretend your an immigrant and you will get more money,a house,a car and a mobile phone all for completely free!...On the other hand you could say what you have already said but they will most probably give you nothing that an immigrant gets and half your income that your entitled too..

I guess you support the BNP.